New state laws take effect

OLYMPIA – While another increase to minimum wage is weighing on the mind of most business managers and owners, there is a list of other laws that went into effect Jan. 1, 2024.

State legislature passed over 450 bills in 2023, many of which became active law in July, but many were slated to start Jan. 1.

Some notable changes include some further regulations on gun ownership. The new Washington State law requires gun buyers to undergo a background check and then go through a 10-day waiting period before finalizing any purchases.

The law will also require gun buyers to register to take a safety training program within five years of a gun purchase.

Voting rights in the state will also see some change. In 2018 the state passed the Voting Rights Act, which was meant to address instances where signs of “polarized” voting exist among different groups in a community.

Some groups were at risk of having their votes diluted so they felt they didn’t have a fair opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

The new law also allowed local governments to willingly alter their election systems to be more descriptive of their populations. It also allows for lawsuits to be filed if the locality refused to take such steps.

An issue with the law is that it can be costly for voters to challenge a local elections system for violations of the act.

Changes to the state Voting Rights Act passed earlier this year aim to make it easier for an individual to challenge the system.

It allows an organization or a tribe to challenge election systems on an individual member’s behalf, and provides a pathway for people or organizations to reclaim any incurred costs when researching the possible legal challenges.

Another change businesses and employers will have to adapt to will be that employers will no longer be able to conduct drug tests for cannabis when making hiring decisions.

Many employers have been including cannabis testing since marijuana was legalized in 2012. They can still test for other drugs, and will be able to test for cannabis under certain situations such as an accident at the workplace.

Employers who need to test to meet federal regulations, such as trucking companies, can still do so. Other workers, including police, firefighters, airline crews and corrections officers, could still test.